1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biological introduction apparatus that introduces an insertion unit of an endoscope into a living body and an endoscope having this biological introduction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2011-161138 discloses an endoscope insertion auxiliary tool arranged at a distal end portion of an insertion unit. This endoscope insertion auxiliary tool has a bag-shaped traveling unit and a support unit that is arranged in the traveling unit and supports the traveling unit. The support unit has a worm gear and a peripheral tooth portion that is arranged at a proximal end portion of the worm gear and arranged over an entire periphery along a circumferential direction of the proximal end portion. The peripheral tooth portion meshes with a pinion arranged at a distal end portion of a torque wire. At this time, the peripheral tooth portion and the pinion are arranged in the traveling unit. A proximal end portion of the torque wire is connected with a drive source.
When the drive source drives, the torque wire rotates, and the worm gear rotates through the pinion and the peripheral tooth portion in accordance with this rotation. As a result, the traveling unit circulates so that the outer side of the traveling unit travels in a counter-inserting direction and the inner side of the traveling unit travels in an inserting direction, for example. When the traveling unit circulates, the insertion unit obtains propulsive force. As a result, for example, forward movement of the insertion unit is aided by this propulsive force.
Further, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2010-527651 discloses a catheter. This catheter has a corrugated pipe into which an endoscope is inserted and a helical screw arranged at a distal end portion of the corrugated pipe. Furthermore, the catheter has a handle that is arranged apart from the helical screw, arranged at a proximal end portion of the corrugated pipe, and rotates the helical screw through the corrugated pipe and a fixing portion that is arranged to be closer to a proximal end portion of the corrugated pipe than the handle and fixes an endoscope.
The corrugated pipe is arranged over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction of the catheter. The helical screw is arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the corrugated pipe, and it is also helically arranged around a longitudinal axis of the corrugated pipe. When the handle rotates, the corrugated pipe rotates, and the helical screw rotates in accordance with the rotation of the corrugated pipe. When the rotating helical screw engages with an inner wall of a lumen, the corrugated pipe obtains the propulsive force. As a result, for example, forward movement of the corrugated pipe is aided by this propulsive force.